


Coming Home, Piece by Piece

by gray_autumn_sky



Series: Coming Home [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-17
Updated: 2016-09-17
Packaged: 2018-08-15 13:26:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8058115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gray_autumn_sky/pseuds/gray_autumn_sky
Summary: Slowly but surely, the Hood Mills Family comes back together.A fix-it for 5x21; and a S6 AU.





	

They’re finally alone, Regina finds herself thinking as she closes the bedroom door, shutting them in and shutting out the rest of the world.

The door clicks shut and she turns to him, smiling almost sheepishly, glad to finally have him all to herself. It isn’t that she hasn’t enjoyed the family time they’ve shared—in fact, it’s quite the contrary—but there are things she’s wanted to say and questions she’s wanted to ask, things that require a degree of privacy, things better said without an audience. She’s thought about what this moment would feel like—again and again, and more times than she can even count; but when she turns to him, she finds that the only thing she’s really capable of is staring—staring because he’s _really_ there, _really_ present, and really _hers_ again. She ignores the heaviness of her eyelids, despite that its late and she refuses to give in to her exhaustion, wanting to keep a watchful eye on Robin, worried that if she so much as blinks the illusion will be shattered and she’ll lose him all over again.

She lets out a little sigh—a cross between relief and doubt—as she takes a tentative step toward him. It’s the first time since that afternoon that they’ve been alone, been able to just be together and enjoy one another—and she can’t help but feel a little bit nervous.

He reaches for her hand as their eyes meet and he pulls her into his arms. Her arms slip beneath his arms, wrapping around his sides and she hugs him close, practically melting into him as she presses her cheek to his chest and rubs her fingers back and forth over his shirt, feeling the gentle rhythm of his heart beat—a constant reminder that this real and she can trust it.

 “I missed you,” he whispers as rests his cheek atop her head. “Oh, Love, I missed you so much.”

He presses a kiss to her hair and then another to her temple, slowly pushing her back as she blinks up at him with teary eyes. Her face turns into his palm as traces his fingers down her jaw and his hand slips to the small of her back. Her breath catches in her throat as he leans in, brushing his lips over hers—once and then twice—before she feels a smile curl up onto them. She captures his bottom lip between hers, sucking gently as she breathes him in, closing her eyes as the soft scent of pine consumes her. His kiss is tender as he pushes his fingers past her jaw and into her hair—and despite the softness of his kiss, there’s a sort of intensity in it as the months they spent apart come pouring out.

Robin’s lips slide to her neck, settling on a favorite spot along the crook as her head tilts back, allowing him more access to her as a soft whimper escapes her and tears flood her eyes.

“Hey,” he murmurs, lifting his head to look at her. “Are you okay?” She nods a little and tries to smile, but find that her words fail her. He draws her in, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he holds her close, whispering gentle promises and reminders—that he’s here and not leaving—as he slowly rocks her in his arms.

“I just… I never thought…”

“I know,” he murmurs in understanding as her words fail her.

“But I…”

“I know…”

“But I watched you die,” she says, pulling back, finally pushing out the words. “I thought I lost you. I _did_ lose you. And I thought...” Again her voice trails off and for a moment as her breath sticks in her chest. “I thought you were gone…and not just dead. Your soul was…” She shakes her head, finding it so say even now with him standing in front of her. “I thought you’d been… erased.”

“Well, I was,” he says with a sigh. “For a bit, anyway.”

“I still don’t understand.”

Shaking his head, he chuckles softly and presses a kiss to her forehead. “I’m afraid I don’t know much about that part of it either, love,” he tells her with a shrug of his shoulders. “I just know that when you destroyed the crystal dagger, my soul was released… and… I was able to move on.” She watches as a smile creeps up onto his lips. “I’m not sure we need to understand it, though. It’s done and I’m here now, and _that’s_ what matters, right?”

She nods a little, offering him a small grin. “I missed this part,” she tells him, blinking back her tears as she looks up at him, staring into his eyes—momentarily memorized by the notion that they’re his eyes she’s staring into—and a lopsided smile edges onto her lips. “Being here with you, like this…”

“I did, too,” he confesses. “And you know what else I missed?” Reaching up, he pushes his thumb underneath her eye, forcing out the tears and brushing them away before they could fall. She lets out a shaky breath as she shakes her head and a grin tugs up at the corner of his mouth. “Moments like this—moments at the end of the a day when it’s just the two of us, holding each other and giving each other lazy kisses as we get ready to go bed.” His arms fold around her, clasping at the small of her back as he pulls her a little closer. “And then crawling into bed with you and you cuddling up against me and that quiet contentment of just being there with you as our eye close,” he says with a content sigh. “I missed that feeling more than anything.”

Taking a small step back, her hand falls down his arm and her fingers circle around his wrist as she gives him a little tug. “Then let’s do that,” she says. “Let’s go to bed.”

_____

_Sitting down on a bench by the play set, she pulls the baby from her carrier, lifting her out and settling her in the crook of her arm. She’s so small and at such a cuddly stage—just a little more than five months old—when everything around her sparks her curiosity, making her laugh and making her blue eyes widen. Regina reaches for her pacifier and grinning as the little girl takes it into her mouth, making gentle sucking noises as she bats her eyelashes._

_Regina smiles, watching the way her dimples sink into her cheeks and she can’t help but think how fitting her name is because aside from the wisps of red atop her head, she is the spitting image of her father. She has his easy going disposition and his sweet smile, dimples in the exact same spot and same blue eyes—and when Regina looks down at her, for just a brief second, it’s almost like she has him back._

_Robyn is very bit her father’s daughter--but despite this, she just can’t bring herself to call the girl by her name._

_The name ‘Robyn’ was supposed to be a tribute, something meant to honor her father’s memory—and as sweet as the notion is, whenever she goes to say her name, it catches in her throat and it just doesn’t feel right—because no matter how fitting the name is, it forces her to accept that Robin is really gone and he’s not coming back._

_One night when she was doing laundry, Robin’s gray hoodie fell out of the basket. She’d stared at it for a moment before slowly reaching for it. She’d drawn it up to her face, her eyes filling with tears as she inhaled deeply—it still smelled like him, still smelled like pine and soap—and she clutched it to her chest. Closing her eyes, she slipped her arm through one of the arms, and pulled it on, wrapping it around herself and gripping the soft fabric tightly between her fingers—and for just a second, it was like he was holding her._

_She’d pushed her hands into the pocket and felt a slip of paper. Slowly, she withdrew it, unfolding it and looking down at the smudged pencil markings in his writing. Squinting, she took a closer look, trying to make out whatever he had written—and a moment later, she realized it was a list of names—names for his daughter._

_Elizabeth was third one on the list and he’d circled it. Elizabeth became the girl’s middle name—and every since then Regina had called her Lizzie, in honor of her father’s wishes. And it felt a better fit._

_“You want me to read you a story?” Regina asks, taking a quick glance toward the jungle gym. A wistful smile forms on Regina’s lips as she reaches for the leather bound story book and opens it up—turning to her favorite story, the story she shared with Robin. “I bet you do…”_

_Lizzie just blinks at her and her smile deepens as she gently combs her fingers through the red wisps at the top of the baby’s head._

_It doesn’t feel like four months have passed since Lizzie became hers—and she still remembers that night as if it were only yesterday. It was raining and cold for summer, well past midnight and she’d been asleep when she was awoken by frantic knock at the door. She’d pulled on her robe and her heart beating faster and faster as she made her way down the stairs to the front door. Her eyes widened when she found Zelena standing there—there were dark circles beneath her eyes that were bright with tears as she thrust the baby carrier forward. Instinctively, Regina had taken it as she asked what was going on and Zelena repeated again and again that she couldn’t do this, that Robin was right and she wasn’t fit to be a mother._

_Still, she didn’t understand and asked her to come in, so that they could talk about whatever had spurred this, but Zelena refused—she’d made her choice and she didn’t want to be talked out of it. Again, Regina asked what happened and Zelena hadn’t offered her much useful information—she just shook her head as a horrified look settled in her eyes and confessed that he didn’t want to hurt the baby—and if she kept her, she knew that she would because she nearly had._

_Regina asked again, but Zelena turned away, disappearing into a cloud of green smoke—and that was that, that was the last time she saw her sister._

_Her breath catches as she looks down at the page, running her index finger over the illustration Robin’s face as her heart clenches—she misses him so much—and then she begins to read…_

_____

Regina tugs down the blankets, tossing the extra pillows onto the floor. She’s changed into her pajamas and her body aches, but still, she’s not ready to sleep. She glances up at Robin—once more checking to make sure that he’s still there and this isn’t all a part of some wonderfully cruel dream where he disappears as soon as she allows herself to feel content.

She takes a breath, pushing away those thoughts as she pulls back the flat sheet, watching as Robin pulls his shirt over his head. She feels a swelling in her chest and a lump rising at the back of her throat as his watches him—watching the way he reaches behind himself, yanking at his t-shirt and pulling it off of his body. He stretches out his arms, tilting his head from side to side as his neck pops. She feels as slow smile tugging onto her lips as she watches the once so familiar act, suddenly very much aware of all the little things she hadn’t even realized she missed, all of the little things even her memories had taken for granted. 

Her breath hitches in her throat as Robin catches her gaze, smiling as he takes a step toward her. He reaches for her and she lets out a shaky breath; and for just a moment, he stares at her, holding her by the hip and pressing his fingertips gently into the flannel fabric of her pajama bottoms. He rubs his fingers in a circular motion in a way that’s so familiar.

“Hey,” he murmurs softy as he presses a kiss to her forehead. “Are you okay?”

With a little sigh, she nods and reaches up, rubbing her fingers along his stubbly jaw. “I just… I can’t believe this is real,” she tells him meekly. “I keep trying, but I just… don’t believe it.”

“Well you _should_ ,” he tells her, reaching up and taking her hand as he presses a kiss to her palm. “Because it’s true,” he insists as his hand slides from her hip to the small of her back and he draws her in, once more pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’m here and this is real.”

“I… I want to, but I just can’t help but feel like it’s all just temporary, like… you’re going to be taken away again.”

“Regina,” he cuts in as a smile edges onto his lips. “Life is full of all sorts of surprises—good and bad.” He kneads his fingers against the soft flannel of her pajama pants, urging her to look at him and again, reminding her of his physical presence. “This is one of the good things.”

“It is…” she says with a slight not as her breath hitches in her throat and once more tears well in her eyes.

“I’m here now,” he says, pulling her back to him. “It’s okay.” His arms tighten around her. “And if I have anything to say about it, I’m not going anywhere.”  A little grin pulls at the corners of his mouth. “Well, except to bed…”

“I’m not ready,” she says, shaking her head as his hands slide back to her hips. “I’m just… not ready to do that.”

“It’s late, love,” he tells her in soft voice as his fingers continue to knead at her hips. “It’s been a long, exhausting day and you need to get some rest. We both do. And we can start over in the morning.” 

“I don’t care,” she says, shaking her head. “I don’t want to go to sleep. I just us to… stay up and…” Her voice trails off and her breath catches in her chest and she feels a swelling there as the tears brimming in her eyes threaten to fall. She doesn’t want to say the words aloud, fearing that if she confesses them that will somehow make them real and she’ll lose him all over again.

“Oh,” he breathes out, as understanding resonates in his eyes. “You’re afraid that if you go to sleep… when you wake up, I won’t be here with you.”

“And I’ll be alone again,” she says in a small voice, nodding a little but not really wanting to admit how many times that’s happened over the past few months. “And I’ll he alone again and I’ll realize that this… this right here, me and you together again… is all just a part of a dream.” She lets out a shaky breath and shrugs her shoulders as her voice grows desperate. “And I _can’t_ lose you again. I just… I can’t go through that _again_.”

He pulls her close, holding her tightly against his chest as his fingers stoke through her hair. “I promise you, love. You’re stuck with me now.”

“I want to believe that…”

“Then do it, because I’ve got it on pretty good authority that I am here to stay.”

She closes her eyes and leans into him—she can feel his breath on her neck and she can feel his heart beating in his chest, beating in rhythm with hers and he feels so real—and she so desperately wants to believe that. His arms tighten around her and his hand rub over her back as he presses a kiss to her temple and holds her, assuring her again and again that he’s really there, each touch and kiss and soft reminder bringing her a little closer to actually trusting it.

Regina nods a little and pushes back as her hand finds his, her fingers folding down between his as she takes a step back and pulls him toward the bed. He grins and follows her lead, holding onto her hand as she slides into the bed, etching across to the other side before he slides in beside her. He lies back against the pillows as she cuddles into his slide as his arm folds around her. She rests her head on his chest, closing her eyes for a brief moment in an attempt to stop her tears as she listens to the sound of his heartbeat—proof that he’s really there, that he’s really alive and that he’s really not going anywhere.

A tears escapes from the corner of her eyes and he tightens his arm around her. “It’s okay, love,” he murmurs as he presses a kiss into her hair—holding her as she cries and finally allowing the months of pent up emotion to come pouring out. “It’s okay,” he says again, rubbing his hand over her arm. “I’m here. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. I promise you—I am not going _anywhere_ ever again.”

“Yes you will,” she says with a little laugh, sniffling back her tears as her turns her head up to face him.

“Okay,” he says with a chuckle, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “But I’ll always come back to you.”

_____

_Regina shifts awkwardly, trying not to wake Lizzie as she tucks the storybook back into the diaper bag. She smiles as Lizzie makes a gurgling noise, her little feet kicking as she dreams. She smiles as she rubs two fingers against the bottom of the baby’s foot, watching as Roland laughs and calls out to Henry to push him higher.  Henry laughs, shaking his head, and then gives the swing another shove._

_“I feel like I’m flying,” Roland giggles, loud enough for her to from her place on the bench._

_She closes her eyes for only a minute—and then, all of the sudden, Roland’s laughter stops. Her eyes snap open to see Henry crouching down in the sand next to Roland, helping him up and brushing him off. Craning her neck for a better look at Roland, she can see there’s a small tear at the knee of his jeans and his jaw is quivering. Standing up, she takes a step in with Lizzie still snuggled into the crook of her arm. Henry leads Roland over to her and as they get closer, she can see Roland struggling to keep his tears at bay._

_“What happened?” She asks, reaching out as her hand guides Roland up against her leg, rubbing circles between his shoulders. “Just a minute ago, he was fine.”_

_Roland sniffles as Henry nods, “He tried to jump off. He landed on a stick or something.”_

_“Oh,” she murmurs empathetically as Henry carefully takes Lizzie from her. Dropping down to her knees, she smiles warmly, reaching out to cup Roland’s face in her hands and brushing away his tears with her thumbs. “It’s just a little scrape,” she tells him. “You’re okay.”_

_He nods, but his face crumples as he falls into her chest, hiccupping back his tears._

_It was only a few weeks ago that he’d returned to her. It’d been rainy day and she’d been catching up on work at home. Henry was with her, reading by the fire and sipping on hot cocoa, while Lizzie laid on blanket on the floor, happily giggling as she slapped a rattle against the rug. Outside, the rain was coming down hard and the wind was howling, and she almost didn’t hear the first knock—assuming it was nothing more than the wind. But it came louder the second time and on the third knock, Henry looked up from his book. They exchanged glances and Henry shrugged his shoulders, as she pushed away the stack of manila folders and hobbled barefoot toward the door._

_Her breath caught in her chest as she opened the door, her eyes widening to find Little John standing there, holding Roland back against his legs._

_“Quite a day to return to Storybrooke,” he’d joked, offering a hearty laugh. “All blustery and gray.”_

_“Um, yeah, it’s…” Her eyes fell down to Roland. “How are you here?”_

_“Funny thing,” Little John began. “We left in such a hurry, thinking it was our only chance, but as it turns out back home, portals are… not such a rare commodity anymore.”_

_“Oh, that’s… good,” she’d said awkwardly, smiling gently as Roland batted his long eyelashes at her. “It’s… so good to see you.”_

_“I’m sorry we just left,” Little John told her. “Like I said, we thought it was our only chance of going home.”_

_“I understand,” she murmured, stepping back to let them in and pushing away the memory of coming back from New York to learn that they’d left—and yet another person she loved had gone without getting the chance to say goodbye. “You did what you had to do.”_

_“Did you get my feather?” Roland had asked, looking up at her with wide, hopeful eyes._

_“I did,” she’d answered, her voice once again sticking at the back of her throat. “I put it on my nightstand and every night before I go to sleep, it reminds me of you and your dad.” Roland offered her a satisfied little grin as she dropped down to her knees and took his hand, giving it a tight little squeeze. “It was a very thoughtful.”_

_Roland’s grin deepened. “I’m glad you liked it.”_

_“I’ve, uh, been thinking a lot about… all that,” Little John said as she looked up at him. “And I should have talked to you about it before I made any decisions… especially decisions that weren’t completely mine to make.” She watched as his eyes fell to Roland. “I shouldn’t have taken him from you.”_

_“You did what you thought was best for him. I can’t fault you for that.”_

_“That’s kind,” Little John told her with a sincere nod. “But I was wrong and… and the boy misses his mother.”_

_She felt her eyes widen and her heart fluttered and swelled as she shook her head, not really knowing what to say in response. In the time she and Robin were together, she was never sure how the Merry Men—the men he considered his family—felt about her or her presence in his and Roland’s life. And when she’d retuned to find that they’d left and taken Roland with them, she assumed she had her answer._

_“Can I come home?” Roland asked n a small voice as she looked back at him. “I want to come home.”_

_She hadn’t been able to reply, she’d only been able to pull him up against her, holding him tightly. She could feel his tears on her shirt as her own brimmed in her eyes, and finally, after a few minutes, she found her voice, whispering that she would like nothing more than for him to come home._

_He’d pulled back and batted the back of his hand over his eyes and smiled meekly. His dimples sunk into his cheeks and her own smile tugged onto her lips…_

_“Hey,” she murmurs, pushing him back gently. “I know what will make you forget all about that scraped knee.”_

_“W-what?”_

_“Ice cream,” she says easily, chuckling softly as his eyes widen. “When we got here, I noticed that the ice cream truck was parked by the pond.” She glances up at Henry and then looks back to Roland. “Maybe Henry could take you?”_

_Roland pretends to consider and she can tell that he’s fighting against his smile—and undoubtedly losing the battle. “I… I think that would help,” he decides, as Regina gives his hand one more squeeze. “I think two scoops would help more though.”_

_“Two scoops, it is,” Regina laughs as Roland sniffles and his smile edges onto his lips._

_______

She’s just on the edge of sleep—drifting in and out, every now and then her eyes fluttering open as she jerks back into the present, fearing if she lets herself drift too far off when she wakes, he’ll be gone when she wakes.

Though she’d gotten used to sleeping alone, there was a little part of her subconscious that taunted her. Just as she was falling asleep—even if for a couple of seconds—she would swear that she felt him there beside her. She could feel his stubbly cheek nuzzling against her cheek as his arm wrapped around her pulled her back against him as he cuddled her. Sometimes she could even smell—that faint whisper of pine mixed with the soap he liked to use—and when she’d turn her head to look back at him—forgetting for just that couple of seconds—she’d find the space beside her empty and the hollowness in her heart would begin to ache as she remembered that he was really gone and she was really alone.

But instead of fading, his arms tighten around her as he drops a light kiss into her hair, his fingers continuing to strum up the length of her arm, swirling at her shoulder as they trail back down. And a reluctant smile edges onto her lips.

She presses a kiss into his chest, letting her lips linger as she nuzzles closer. Her eyes close as she listens to the soft rhythm of his heartbeat and sighs softly, breathing out a sigh of relief when he doesn’t fade away but instead squeezes her closer—reminding her that he’s really there, that he’s really real, and that he’s not going anywhere. Again, she feels him drop a kiss into her hair and she tips up her chin, a smile almost instantly tugging onto her lips as her eyes meet his—and again reminds herself that this moment isn’t a dream or a memory and that she can trust it.

Robin reaches out, tucking a few straying strands of hair behind her ear. His fingers slip through her hair, combing down its length until they fall to the crook of her neck. He rubs gently as his smile turns a bit more serious.

“I love your hair this length,” he murmurs.

“Yeah?” She asks, still looking up at him as her bottom lip catches between her teeth. “It’s… not too short? They took off more than I wanted and…” And she finds a laugh bubbling up from her core—their conversation feels so normal and it’s the sort of conversation she never thought they’d be able to have again. They’re not talking about demons or curses, there are no desperate touches or rushed kisses as they try to hold onto a moment; it’s just the two of them, there together, talking about something perfectly mundane—the sort of moment she never thought they’d share again. So, she laughs out and her head dips forward as she presses another, fleeting kiss to his chest, before pulling herself up over him. His eyebrow arches as his own smile tugs onto his lips—and for just a second, she hovers over him, taking in his smile and his shining eyes—and for the first time in such a long time, that dull ache in chest that she’s become so used to, is gone.

Leaning in, her tongue sweeps over his bottom lip and his smile deepens. She smiles, too, as she brushes her lips against his—once and then twice, teasingly as she reminds herself once again that that there is no reason to rush. One of his hands settle on her hip, kneading gently against the fabric of her pajama bottoms, the other his other hand rubs gently across the soft and subtle swell of her abdomen, acknowledging the secret that only they know.

She smiles again her lips take his, sucking gently as she breathes him in—this time, not needing a reminder of his presence. Her tongue slides against his as his mouth opens and he catches her lips, and the hand at her hip tightens around her as he pushes forward,  rolling her onto her back. She can’t help but laugh out as his lips drag over her jaw, and her head tips back, giving him more access to her as his tongue flicks at her earlobe and his own laugh begins to rumble.

Regina’s arms link around his neck as he pulls back, smiling as he hovers over her—and she finds herself exhaling a breath that she was barely aware that she’d been holding as leans up to kiss  him again, finally allowing herself to trust and finally believing that maybe this time, fate really was on their side.

_____

_The boys returned with their ice creams and they’d all settled on a blanket. Roland was laying on his stomach, licking two scoops of strawberry-chocolate swirl and kicking his feet up and down, the scrapped knee all but forgotten. Henry was sitting beside her, eating his sundae and pretending not to notice every time Regina picked out one of the chocolate chips scattered across the top as she held Lizzie on her lap._

_“When we’re done with our ice cream, can we go back to the swings?”_

_“Sure,” Henry says with a nod, as he glances over at Regina. “But maybe you should stay on the swing this time? No jumping off.”_

_“The sand just looked so soft,” Roland explains, looking back at them as Regina’s eyebrow arched. “But it’s probably a good idea that I don’t try it again.”_

_Regina laughs as Lizzie’s arm stretches out and her little fingers try to grab onto Henry’s spoon, just a little bit of chocolate ice cream touching to her fingers. “Oh, Henry can you grab one of the burp cloths from her bag?” Henry nods and Lizzie squeals a little as her fingers spread out, not enjoying the sticky feeling. “She hates when things are on her hands…”_

_“I like when it gets on my hands,” Roland says with a little giggle. “Because once my ice cream’s gone, I can lick it off and…”_

_“That’s gross,” Henry cuts in, with a roll of his eye. “Here you…go…” His voice trails off as he hand Regina a folded burp cloth, and between the folds is a worn piece of paper that they both recognize. She clears her throat and drops it into her lap, rubbing the burp cloth over Lizzie’s little fingers._

_“I can’t wait til she’s big enough to have ice cream,” Roland says with a giggle, not realizing the change in tone._

_“Mom, I can put it away…”_

_“No,” she says, dropping the cloth down beside her and reaching for the page, unfolding with a sad sigh. “Sometimes it’s… nice to see him,” she says, her fingers rubbing over the scotch tape of the unexplained Page 23—the page that had a habit of magically appearing from time to time. “It’s okay.”_

_“Yeah,” Henry murmurs as he takes another bite of his ice cream, looking up at the wooded space just beyond them. And for a moment, they’re all quiet—and for a moment, she gets lost in what could have been. She closes her eyes and can almost see him sitting beside her, his arm loosely stretched around her shoulders as his rubs his fingers against Lizzie’s chubby cheek and making her smile. She can almost hear him saying her name as he presses a quick kiss into her temple and she can almost feel him…_

_“Uh, mom…”_

_Her eyes flutter open and she looks to Henry as her brow furrows._

_“Mom…” he says, slowly turning to look at her. “Look…”_

_Henry’s eyes are wide and she watches as Roland’s head turns, his own eyes widening as a little gasp fall from his lips. And before her gaze turns to follow theirs, her heartbeat is already quickening and her mouth is already going dry—and when she turns, her first thought is that it’s all an illusion—it has to be because at the end of the path, she can see Robin emerging from the woods, calling out her. Henry pulls Lizzie into his lap as she gets up, and Regina shakes her head in complete disbelief, watching as he comes nearer, his voice becoming louder and his smile apparent._

_She’s only barely aware that she’s stood up and taken a few tentative steps forward, edging close to the woods._

_“Robin…” she whispers to herself._

_The page is still in her hands and she looks down at it, thinking of that inexplicable dream she’d had months before when he was in New York and she thought she couldn’t miss him anymore; and when she looks up, expecting to see him ahead of her, she suddenly sees nothing. Her heart clenches with the realization that it wasn’t real, just the cruel illusion or a memory or something that creeps up on her every now and then, turning moments of contentment into sad ones, and making the loss feel new again._

_She looks back and can see Henry, Roland and Lizzie watching, and she shakes her head just a little—but then finds herself taking a few more steps forward, hoping that just once she could be wrong…_

_Tears well in her eyes as she looks down at the torn page once more, wishing more than anything that only once fate would have worked in their favor, that just once they could have been happy for more than a couple of fleeting moment. Pushing back her tears, she starts to turn back—and then she hears it again._

_His voice is calling her name and she can hear his boots on the paved path, leaves crunching beneath them—growing closer and closer with every step._

_“Robin?”_

_“Regina!” He calls again, once more coming into view as her heart flutters and her eyes widen in disbelief, watching a he jogs toward her. She takes a few long strides toward him until she’s practically running, her breath catching in her chest when he’s close enough to reach. Her hands touch to hi he smiles warmly, blue eyes glittering as his hands slide to her elbows, once more saying her name as he draws her to him._

_“You… you’re here.”_

_“I am, Love. I’m here…”_

_“But…”_

_“I’m here…” He presses a rushed kiss to her lips as his arms fold around her. “I’m here, Love…”_

_“Robin, I… I don’t understand how this is possible,” she says smiling in spite of the nagging feeling that tells her this won’t last. “How are you here?”_

_“It doesn’t matter now,” he murmurs breathlessly. “All that matters is that I’m here.”_

_“Yes,” she murmurs back with a nod, offering him a teary smile as she leans back in to kiss him—wanting to hold onto this moment for as long as fate would allow, enjoying everything she’d been afraid to even hope for, even if it wasn’t meant to last…_

_______

“We should probably get some sleep,” Robin murmurs as he presses a lazy kiss into her shoulder.

“I don’t want to…”

“Regina,” he says with a little laugh. “We have to sleep eventually.”

“I know,” she says, looking up at him as she sighs. “I just… really missed this—you and me, just together.”

“I did, too,” he says, hugging her closer. “I missed you more than I can even say.”

For awhile, neither says any more. Regina cuddles into him, intermittently pressing lazy kisses into his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath. There’s a quiet contentment in the room, an ease that hasn’t been there for months. In that time, she can’t say that she was wholly unhappy—she still had Henry, and then there was Lizzie and then there was Roland. There’d been lots of laughing and smiles, moments that filled her heart with joy and in the moments where she was sad and missed him, there was usually something—or rather someone—who would pull her back and keep her from dwelling for too long.

“Robin?”

“Mm?”

“What was it like?”

“What?”

“Where you were…. What was it like?” she asks, tipping up her head to look at him. “Were you happy?”

She watches as he considers it, his fingers slowing over her arm. “I… could have been,” he tells her after a moment. “I could have been very happy.” He looks down at her as a smile edges onto his lips. “I’m not quite sure how to describe it, but it was nothing short of paradise.”

“Did you… see Marian?”

“I did,” he says with a little nod. “And that was… nice, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I could have stayed, but…” His voice trails off and she waits patiently for his reply, trailing soft, but fleeting kisses across his chest. “But I wouldn’t have been at peace.” She looks up, watching as a smile tugs onto his lips. “Everyone else had their closure. Even if they weren’t ready to go, they had that sort of closure, but I didn’t. I didn’t because… because our story was left untold and…” he chuckles gently as he pushed his fingers through her hair, then letting the back of them brush across her jaw. “And I desperately wanted to know how it ends.”

“I’m glad there are going to be more chapters for us,” she murmurs through a teary smile.

“I am, too,” he says, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “And I can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.”

She nods and cuddles back into him, closing her eyes and once more breathing him in and listening to his heart beat as her thought begin to drift to how good it’ll feel waking up, still tucked into his warm embrace, waking him with soft touches and lingering kisses—and she realizes that for the first time in such a long time, she’s actually looking forward to sleep…


End file.
